Dishware carrier



y 26, 1966 N. A. LANGONE 3,262,714

DISHWARE CARRIER Filed July 27, 1962 2 SheetsSheet 1 h '1 @ITZ/ZDSTIIZI- 5.

f2 ATTORNEY y 1966 N. A. LANGONE 3,262,714

DISHWARE CARRIER Filed July 27, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. A/ICHOLH s A-LANGoNE BYjfmwQg CUB- W ATTORNE Y V United States Patent 3,262,714 DISHWARE CARRIER Nicholas A. Langone, 624 Pines Lake Drive W., Wayne, Passaic County, NJ. Filed July 27, 1962, Ser. No. 212,927 1 Claim. (Cl. 280-792) The present invention relates generally to improvemeans in transport and storage devices and it relates more particularly to an improved device for the storing, transporting and dispensing of dishware and the like.

In restaurants, cafeterias and large kitchens and dining areas, such as at camps, schools and institutions, the conveying, dispensing and storage of dishware presents a major handling problem. The dishes after they have been washed and dried should be compactly stacked in protected areas for sanitary and hygienic reasons and for economy of storage space preparatory to their being conveyed to the food dispensing areas where they should be likewise protected and may there be individually dispensed as the occasion requires. The conventional procedures in handling, storing, conveying and distributing dishware in large operations are ineflicient. They are highly time and labor consuming, require large storage areas and greatly interfere with the orderly conduct of other operations about the kitchen and dining area. There have been many systems and procedures proposed and suggested for the handling of dishware in large dining areas but these possess many drawbacks and disadvantages. They are complex, expensive, and inflexible .a-rrangements, they do little to alleviate the problems attendant to the handling, conveying and distribution of the dishware and otherwise leave much to be desired.

It is thus a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved transport device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hand motivated transport device for the storage, conveyance and distribution of dishware.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hand motivated dishware conveying device in which the-dishware may be rapidly stacked and stored in a fully enclosed and protected state and from which the dishware may be readily individually dispensed or severally removed.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved hand motivated dishware transport device having one or more dishware storing compartments which are readily accessible, through variously located openings.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a dishware storage and conveying device of the above nature which is simple, rugged and inexpensive, is easy to handle and manipulate and may be readily and easily stored or disposed in many convenient and available area, such as under counters, tables and the like and be readily accessible.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of a transport device in accordance with the present invention, illustrated in closed condition, the front lid *being shown by broken line at the beginning of its opening sequence;

FIGURE 2 is a front fragmentary perspective view of the device, the front lid being illustrated approaching its open position;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, the front lid being illustrated in its fully open position;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 in FIGURE 1.

In a sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of a transport device comprising a body member having a compartment formed therein provided with a base and side walls and having a front opening extending from said base and a top opening, said openings affording access to said compartment, a first lid hinged to said body member and registering with said top opening and swingable between open and closed positions relative to said top opening and a second lid registering with said front opening and including end-to-end upper and lower panels hinge connected along their adjacent edges, and a pair of links having ends thereof hinged to the upper corners of said upper panel and the opposite ends thereof hinged to the upper borders of said compartment side walls.

According to a preferred form of the present invention, the body member includes a base, side walls and a vertical partition extending between the side Walls intermediate the ends thereof to delineate front and rear compartments and front and rear openings respectively and top opening affording access to the compartments. The top openings are covered by end-to-end rectangular top lids hinged to each other along adjacent edges aligned with the vertical partition. The front and rear openings are each provided with a hinged folda-ble lid as described above. An inverted U-shaped frame member is affixed to each of the side Walls and includes a crosspiece dis posed above the body member and legs depending below the body member and having wheels mounted thereon.

Referring now to the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reference numeral 10 generally designates the improved transport device which includes a body member 11 and a truck defining frame assembly 12 carrying the body member 11. The body member 11 is advantageously of hollow wall construction and formed of stainless steel sheet or other suitable material, and includes parallel vertical laterally spaced side walls 13 having upwardly inwardly inclined front and rear edges 14 and 16 respectively and upper and lower horizontal edges. A vertical partition 17 extends between the side walls 13 intermediate the front and rear edges 14 and 16 thereof and divides the body member 11 into front and rear compartments 18. The base of each of the compartments 18 comprises a bottom wall 19 which is advantageously slightly inwardly rearwardly inclined and forms a substantial right angle with the corresponding face of the partition wall 17 which in turn is upwardly inwardly inclined. Depending from the outer edge of each of the base walls 19 is a vertical flange 20, to the outer face of which is secured a longitudinal extending semi-cylindrical bumper 21 formed of rubber or other suitable material. Each of the compartments 18 is thus provided with an end opening which extends from the base 19.npwardly for the full height of the respective compartment and a top opening which extends from the partition 17 to the compartment end opening and communicates therewith along the upper outer edge of the end opening.

The top openings of the compartments 18 are covered by a top lid assembly 22 which comprises a pair of endto-end rectangular lid panels 23 which may be formed of plastic or other suitable material. The side borders of the panels 23 rest on the inner edges of the top surfaces of the side walls 13 and extend substantially to the ends thereof. Adjacent transverse borders of the anels 23 are aflixed as by rivets or the lik to opposite%i plates of a transversely extending piano hinge 24 which underlie the panels 23 and may be, if desired, affixed to the side walls 13. The independent swinging of each of panels 23 from a respective closed position to a position substantially overlying the adjacent respective panel 23 is thus permitted. Rivetted to the upper outer border of each of the panels 23 is a transversely extendinge ing metal reinforcing strip 26 provided at its outer edge with a depending flange 27 which is slightly shorter than the strip 26 and extends substantially to the inner faces of the side walls 13. A transversely extending handle member 28 is medially aflixed to the top face of each of the panels 23 inwardly of the respective reinforcing strips 26.

A second lid assembly 29 is associated with each of the compartment end openings and include vertical end-toend rectangular top and bottom panels 32 and 33 respectively. The panels 32 and 33 are hinged to each other along their adjacent transverse edges by a piano hinge 34, the hinge plates of which are riveted to the inner faces of the adjacent transverse borders of the panels 32 and 33. Like the panels 23 the panels 32 and 33 may be formed of plastic, metal or other suitable material.

A transversely extending metal reinforcing strip 36 is rivetted to the upper inner border of the top panel 32 and extends for the full width thereof and terminates at its outer ends in upwardly directed coplanar ears 37. Directed rearwardly from the outer edge of each of the ears 37 are formed integrally therewith is a bracket plate 38. A bracket member 39 is mounted on the top borders of each of the side walls 13 and is spaced a short distance from each of the top corners thereof an amount a little greater than the height of the handle 28 and the spacing thereof from the outer edge of the corresponding panel 23. Each bracket 39 includes a horizontal base plate 40 terminating along its outer edge in an upright bracket plate 41 substantially coplanar with the outer face of the respective side wall 13. Each pair of corresponding associated bracket plates 38 and 41 is connected by a respective hinge link 42 the ends of which are connected to the corresponding bracket plates 38 and 41 by hinge pins 43 which permit the swinging of the links 42 and the panels 32 about transverse axis extending between opposing pairs of respective pins 43. The length of the links 42 are approximately equal to the distance of the brackets 39 from the respective ends of the side walls 13.

A medially located rectangular catch plate 44 is aflixed to the lower outer border of the lid bottom panel 33. Mounted on the medial section of the base flange 20 is an upwardly directed resilient latch plate 46 which releasably engages the plate 44 when the respective lid 29 is in its closed position. A handle 47a is carried by the outer face of each of the bottom lid panels 33 adjacent the upper edge thereof to facilitate the opening of the respective lids 29.

The body member 11 is supported by and between a pair of parallel laterally spaced inverted U-shaped frame members 47 preferably formed of metal tubes. Each of the frame members 47 includes a horizontal upper crosspiece 48 located above the body member 11 and defining readily accessible hand bars for manipulating and moving the transport device 10. Depending from the ends of the crosspieces 48 and joined thereto by integrally formed curved elbows are slightly diverging end legs 49 which are suitably secured to the body member side walls 13 and project below the bottom of the body member 11. A bracket bearing 50 of conventional construction is mounted at the lower end of each of the frame legs 49 and freely swivels about the vertical axis of the respective leg 49. A wheel 51 is journaled to each of the brackets 51 by means of a horizontal axle 52 horizontally offset relative to the bracket swivel axis. 4

Considering now the operation of the transport device described above when employed in the storage, conveyance and distribution of dishware, in loading the compartments 18 with dishes, the respective lids 29 are opened to afford free access to the compartments 18 through their end openings and for the full heights thereof. This is effected by merely pulling the hinged borders of the panels 32 and 33 outwardly by means of th handle 47a to release the lower edge of the bottom panel 33 from latch plate 46. The bottom panel 33 is then raised, as illustrated in FIGURE 2 to fold the lid 29 bringing the inner faces of the panels 32 and 33 in substantially abutting relationship. The collapsed lid 29 and the links 42 are then swung about the transverse axis between the brackets 39 to a position overlying the lid panels 23 as seen in FIGURES 3 and 4. By reason of the hinged link and bracket arrangement, the respective handle 28 is cleared by the swinging collapsed lid 29 and the hinge panels 23, 32 and 33 .are so dimensioned that the collapsed lid 29 rests between the handles 28. The opposite compartment end lid may, if desired, be opened in a like manner and brought to overlie the first collapsed open end lid 29.

The compartments 18 may then be easily and readily loaded with stacks of dishes and following the loading thereof the end lids may be returned to their compartment closing positions in a manner opposite to that described above. The stacked dishes are hygenically well protected and as such may be easily wheeled to any desired area where they can be thus stored until required or may be there distributed or transferred. The transport device 10 may be conveniently positioned or stored in many areas which are frequently unemployed, such as beneath counters and tables, thereby affording efiicient space utilization. The useful available space is further increased by reason of the selected access to the compartments 18 by way of the ends or tops thereof by the selective opening of the lids 29 and 22. In addition, a greater versatility and flexibility is aiforded, since the dishes may be transferred into and out of the compartments either individually or severally through the compartment top and end openings thereby facilitating the loading, unloading, distribution, transfer and dispensing of the dishes.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations, omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

A transport device comprising a body member including a base and side walls delineating .a compartment having communicating top and front openings affording access to said compartment, a first lid registering with said top opening and hinged along an edge remote from said front opening to and between said side walls, a second lid registering with saidfront opening and including top and bottom end-to-end panels hinged to each other along adjacent edges, and each being of a height not exceeding the length of the top of said body member, a pair of transversely spaced links having their outer ends hinged to the upper corners of said top panel and their inner ends hinged to the upper borders of said side walls at distances from said front opening not exceeding the lengths of said links, a handle member aflixed to the top 'face of said first lid at a point spaced from the forward edge thereof a distance less than twice the length of said links whereby said handle is cleared by said second lid when in open position overlying said body member, and wheels depending from said body member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,23 0,862 2/ 1941 Carroll 312--290 X 2,523,347 9/ 1950 Weston 312-325 X 2,729,530 l/ 1956 Mustee 312-290 X 2,833,550 5/1958 Frick 280-79.3 X 2,835,546 5/ 1958 Rothchild 29624 3,092,428 6/ 1963 Kerschner 312-289 X A. HARRY LEVY, Primary Examiner. 

